|Meeting someone from the past|

"You are so fucked up, Park Jimin."

"Your heart belongs to someone else."

"Dammit. I am not fucked up!" Jimin groaned, then reflected. "Okay, I am, but my heart belongs to me."

But I am doing the exact thing she accused me of. Chohee called, and here I am, sitting like a mother fucking statue.

Jimin drove his dexterous fingers through the silken jet tresses, entitling them to tumble flirtatiously on his forehead. "Why the hell I am being like this?"

He hated to admit it, but it itched. Leona's words pierced his skin, bruised past his heart, and shredded his mind. Thousand times before his friends mocked him for holding onto his first love. Chul expressed how pathetic he was being, but when the words tumbled from her mouth, some wrong strings tightened his gut.

That night when Chohee crashed into his arms, he had a chance to steal her. The woman of his dreams was right there in front of him, crying out how much she regretted her choice, but Jimin didn't utter a word. The woman he loved was in his arms, and he was feeling nothing but strange. He knew, that now, he wasn't in love with Chohee. She was like a habit. Meaningless habit.

Currently, he was in Nightingale cafe, the only place for celebrities to revel in. His legs nervously moved beneath the table, the tense waves in his shoulder compressed every time he drew a breath.

 When the entrance ingress jingled, he heaved his head expecting it to be her. And there she was. Surprisingly looking dazzling than the sun. Her chest brown hair plunged against her shoulders as she gracefully approached him. She was swathed in one of her maroon suits that hugged her figure just perfectly. Chohee was one of the women with a babyface, who had a lovely appearance. Always with pretty bangs, cute pastel colors outfits, and a warm smile.

She was like the dawn.

Opposite of Leona— who was deadly night.

"Jimin," she smiled brightly, taking a seat across from him. Her face was glowing, cheeks tinted with bronze highlights and lips in bright cherry tint. The whiff of her sweet scent crammed his mind as she leaned closer to him.

"Thanks for meeting me," she spoke. A sweet and delicate voice praised her innocent brown eyes. "I thought you might not be able to make it."

"Why wouldn't I?" Jimin smiled. "How are you doing, Chohee?"

"I am doing good, of course," she replied with a chuckle that stung Jimin.

"You look...tired, having rough days?" she asked him, concern crystal in her voice with a tinge of hesitation. 

Jimin opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. What should he say? There's a part of him wanting to yell at her for being so difficult and there was a part of him wanting to just rewind the days and start over. 

And there was another part of him that wanted to get the hell away from here.

"Just work, nothing much. I saw the news. Crystal Paradise is having a hard time. How's everything at work?" he said attentively.

"The fire was unexpected and we faced a great loss. Chairman was pissed. Being the manager of the Crystal, I was so occupied in handling the international clients that my boyfriend got fed up with me." Chohee heaved a sigh. "I can't believe I was so stupid. He was cheating right in front of my eyes and- no, actually I knew. I ju-just turned blind to those red signals. I am considering quitting. I can't work as my cheating ex-boyfriend is head of my department."

"Are you looking for a job?" he asked. The waitress reposed the cups of latte and coffee. A hint of intoxicating bitter fragrance and his mind flood with Leona.

Stop, he mentally screamed, gulping the hot latte that scorched his throat.

"Yes, I need a job. Haven't thought of any, gosh, I am really in trouble," Chohee groaned, dropping her head in her palm, and slumping her shoulders.

"Don't worry. Should I talk to my cousin? You know, he is the director of fashion illustration in our company, and he knows you. I can recommend you if you want," Jimin offered, not to be her knight in shining armor. But a good friend.

Chohee and he knew each other since they were babies. This woman had been there for him from his failures in tests to the wins in his baseball matches, their friendship bond had been impeccable. Things stirred to mess up when the sparks flew and they kissed each other. For fourteen years old Jimin, the kiss portrayed his first love, but for Chohee, it was just a trial. Or experiment.

Chohee's brown eyes gleamed as her glossy lips stretched in a wide smile. "You can do that?"

Jimin shrugged. "Why not? You are good at your work, besides, Cam mentioned twice that he was looking for a manager. I believe you will qualify for that position."

A sudden sadness flickered in her eyes. "You are always there for me, Jimin."

He never thought he would have to wield that practiced smile in presence of Chohee. But then, life never unfolds the way we wish. "Of course, we have known each other forever, Val." And yet, it seems like I don't know you, anymore.

"I am sorry," she said quietly, lowering her eyelashes and avoiding the eye contact, which bubbled frustration within him. "I really shouldn't have messed up. But, Jimin now that I am single and so are you...ho-"

Jimin gazed up at the silvery ceiling, now really wanting to walk away. "I don't need your pity, so please stop being like this. I mean it. It's been years since I confessed, you rejected and went to him. I went to Italy. Now he cheated and you realized your mistake, that's all. Take some time and sort things out. Don't stress too much, we are cool." He knew what she was suggesting, and that frightened him. She wants him now? After her heart was broken by someone else? How could she even think that Jimin was a choice?

This wasn't his best friend that he knew. 

"We are cool," he repeated, not sure whether he was telling her or convincing himself.

Chohee heaved her head to meet his eyes and a tiny smile of agony dulled her face. "Are we?"

Jimin nodded, gripping the cup so hard that he was sure it would break if he lingered a few more minutes. "I will talk to my cousin and text you. Sorry, but gotta go. I have a meeting."

He stood, and pulled out his wallet. "What the-" His eyebrows furrowed in a profound frown when he gaped at the empty wallet.

 I had a stack of cash in here.

Then he recalled.

Leona. 

An exasperated sigh evaded through his lips. She sure knows how to get on my nerves. As if her morning note wasn't enough.

The previous night after his intense and strange moment with Leona, Jimin was too lazy to crawl back to his place so he crashed on her living room's couch. When he woke up, there was a note stuck on his forehead that said— Clean up after yourself before you fuck yourself.

Chohee cleared her throat snapping him out of his rivery. "I will pa-"

"No. I use cards, anyway," He firmly dismissed her, cursing himself when the woman looked upset by his harsh tone.

He buried the bizarre feelings in the sand and pay with his black card. 

"Jimin." She stalled him before he could leave. "We could meet often, right? I could drop by at your office sometime?"

"Sure, take care," Jimin nodded, trying to genuinely smile but something was off. 

There was a hollow in his mind, a void in his heart that was simmering his blood and to make it worst, he didn't even know what was wrong with him. 

.

.

.

When he got back into his company, Chul greeted him bouncing on his feet like an annoying worn-out spring. The man was shining brighter than any star. 

"Let me guess, your girlfriend Piri revealed that she's lesbian?" Jimin remarked with a half grin that earn him an eye roll.

"For the hundredth and fifth time, her name is Poppy, and to answer your ass question—no, she's straight."

"Boring," Jimin mumbled, treading into the elevator. 

Chul scoffed. "Yeah, your life surely is interesting, dear boss. At night you were with Leona— the woman you might wanna worship, and now, you are coming from your little coffee date with Valencia— the woman you once liked. Interesting than porn or the NFL."

"My life apart, since when could you say porn without stuttering? Did Ryan teach you?" 

And sudden the man turned fifty shades of red, nervously shifting his weight from one to another. Jimin's eyes widened. "For real?" 

"No! Nothing happened!"

"I never hinted that something happened, jackass. God, did he shove his dick in your ass? You are blushing to the point where you would pass out, Chul." Jimin elbowed his stomach with a teasing smile.

Jimin was saved from him when the elevator ceased and Jimin's father made an appearance. The man was lavishly dressed in a grey suit, hair styled clean and he smiled at his son.

"Hey, dad," Jimin greeted, trudging out of the elevator and nodding at his father's secretary. The secretary blossomed making Jimin internally smirk. Yes, he once fucked her soul out, right in the office when his father was in the bathroom. 

"Why the VVIP stairs, top floor, and rooftop are inaccessible to everyone?" Jimin's father—Elliot, asked and gestured to his secretary to go ahead. "And why was she blushing?" He added once she was out of sight.

"I am planning something. The top floor is under minor construction. Can't say now much now, but I will announce my deeds soon," Jimin said in an assuring tone then a playful smile tiptoed his lips. "And trust me you don't want to hear the answer to the second question."

"As long as you are not turning the floors into BDSM rooms or something, I am good with everything."

Chul snorted and Jimin kept his hand over his heart, looking at his father with innocent eyes. "What do you take me for? How could I?"

Handuk arched his brows, a smile twitching his lips. "Who are you talking to son? Did you forget that I was hauled out of the board meeting to the principal's office cause you were caught fooling around with your chem teacher?"

Jimin laughed at the memory, recalling how pissed his mother was. "That was fun, wasn't it? And really, Miss. Linda was the first to make the move. She popped the buttons of her blouse open unable to resist me."

Handuk shook his head, sighing. "One day you will meet someone who will drag you by your collar and smack that cockiness out of you."

Jimin cocked his head, riveting a challenging gaze. "Like maa smacked it out of you?"

"Exactly." Nodding, the pair of son and father bumped their fists. 

Jimin glanced at his watch. "I am heading to the meeting. Are you going to visit mom?"

Handuk squinted his eyes at his son. "I know it was you who told her about the vase and perfume. If she divorces me, I am disowning you, Park Jimin."

"You are so sweet, dad." 

Handuk climbed into the elevator and Jimin dramatically bowed, biding goodbye, and headed to the conference room

The bountiful room was replenished with the men and women, earnestly waiting for him.

"Good morning, Mr. Park," the employees greeted, standing as Jimin put forth powerful strides towards his chair. He didn't glimpse the women who were fixing their hair and dress, smiling wide. That's all they could do, to approach him they would need courage which they didn't have. And these days, his type was bold.

"Morning. I believe I made that it's clear we have officially ceased looking for Ebony," his smooth voice reverberating like silk ribbons. He unbuttoned his blazer before perching, the whimsical gleam repossessed with a stannic stare and the smirking luscious lips set in straight.

"Sir, may we know the reason behind it?" A blonde asked.

Jimin rubbed his temples when he felt the waves of migraine hammering his head. "Not now, but soon. Instead, let's shift our focus to recruiting interns. After having the meeting with board members I concluded that the best way to find new talent is by organizing contests. Our target will be universities, not just the elites but the local universities too. I might be away for shoots, and hence my father—that's our CEO, will look after this project. We are recruiting people from abroad too, so..."

The meeting continued until Jimin's phone rang twice or thrice, and he excused himself when to receive it. His chest tickled with an undesirable sensation, looking upon her name.

Blacksoul.

Picking up, Jimin hummed deeply in response, aware that though the employees were pretending not to hear him, they were.

"In my office, now." The frosty voice commanded and he almost laughed. Not a soul would dare to look in his eyes and wild that tone. His mere presence was enough to prove his power. He would never let anyone dominate him, certainly not her.

"Can't. Wait for me," he told her, heart wilding thumping.

"Either you will be here in five minutes, or I will be there in two minutes."

Swiveling the chair around, Jimin lowered his voice only for her to hear. "That doesn't work with me, baby."

"Don't test me, Park," there was an edge in her voice that excited him.

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Can you all give me honest reviews of the book? I would love to hear your opinions.